Barrel-head fastener.



P. J. DINN.

BARREL HEAD FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY n. 1916.

Patented July 9, 1918,

the barrel itself is preserved,

PATRICK J. BIRTH, OF ROXBUBY, MASSACHUSETTS.

BARREL-HEAD FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918,

Application filed. July 17, 1916. Serial No. 109,618.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J. DINN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Boxbury, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented. an Improvement in Barrel-Head Fasteners, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts. r

This invention relates to a novel improve ment in barrel-head fastenings and is adapted to provide a means so that the head may be removed from a barrel without destruction of the component parts whether the head segments,staves or hoops. At present in opening barrels, the head-boards are simply hammered in, destroying the headboards and often the staves, or, the hoops which surround and hold the staves together are cut or hammered olf. Such hoop removal allows the stave ends to spread apart so that the head-boards or segments are knocked out of the annular interior V- shaped groove of the barrel. These opening processes are time and labor consumin and destruction of the barrels usually resfits.

This invention contemplates the provision of a simple removable locking means to lock one of the head-boards in position after the others have been properly positioned. Upon the removal of the looking or key-board the whole head is easily removed, without impairment of the barrel parts or displacement of the hoops, so that the barrel content may be readily taken out as desired and the barrel may be again employed as a container. By the employment of'this novel organization not only is destructive hammering and hoop-knocking with its resultant injurious effect upon the barrel content obviated, but, an important factor at present in view of the present scarcity in supply. r a v The general object of'this invention is therefore to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient fastening device for barrelheads. f

A more specific object is the production of a novel barrel-head fastening means which is quickly removable without impairment of the barrel parts.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

' obviously 'In the accompanying drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within its reasonable scope.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a barrel-head with the improved device thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the plate secured to a barrel-head board, lookin at the underside thereof;

ig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged underside view similar to Fig. 2, but showing modified form;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 4:;

' Fig. 6 shows an enlarged plan view of another modified form;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 7-7, Fig. 6.

There has been disclosed in connection 'with this novel barrel-head fastener, the

usual type of sugar or flour barrel though such improvement is adapted to be used in connection with variant types of barrels. The barrel here shown is composed of a plurality of staves 1 of the ordinary type. These staves are interiorly grooved adjacent their ends so that, in the assembled form, there is provided an interior, annular V-shaped groove 2. This barrel-head comprises, as is usual, a number of segments or boards 3 of different lengths. The respective ends of these boards are cut in portions of an arc to conform to the interior of the assembled barrel staves and are generally beveled to produce V-shaped edges in order more perfectly to fit in the similarly formed annular groove in the interior of the assembled barrel. A plurality of hoops are circumferentially placed about various parts of the barrel in the well-known manner and function to'embrace and to retain the staves 1 together. The hoop 5 is one of such hoops and is shown in the drawings adjacent the staveends. At present in placing the bar-v rel-head on the assembled barrel, the shorter head segments or boards3 are first positioned. Their V-shaped ends or sides are inserted in the interior annular V-shaped groove adjacent the barrel end and the boards are transversely hammered into position. The usual central board 4: is poSi-.

tioned last, one end being inserted in the groove while the other end is downwardly knocked and wedged into. the groove. wThe,

staves are usually slightly bowed to form a barrel of greater diameter at its'.middle and hence, to release the pressure adjacent the barrel headjduring the. heading operation,

the end hoops are pushed toward the lessened diametered barrel ends and, after such operatiom are. again driven into position.

In this novel organization, the usual central or-hey-board 4&5 cutoff orshortened at. one end. This shortened end. 6 is substantially squarely cut off as in-the form shown in Fig sf2 and 3, and it therefore falls short of the opposedly presented portion of the interior groove, 2 ofv the assembled barrel. novel plate 7 is; removably secured to vthis key-board v4,adjacent the short ened end. 6Q This: plate, in thisform consists of. preferably a metallic. material, pressed steel being at present employed.

,Theplate. 7 is nade, as shown in theyfi'rst five figures, of a width substantially, equal to t hat of thekey-boardd here shown as the central board though others suitable so .to function may be selected. 'The plateexthe shortened head member or key-board of any of the barrel parts. Tofremove'the which it overhangs, functionstoafford the demountable closure for barrel heads.

i In assembling, this lipped plate is screwed .to thekey-board 4. The side vboards of the barrel-head are knocked. into position and '.-the- /Vshaped.end of the key-board lis insorted in the barrelgroove. :The key-board is then downwardly dropped,.whence the .metallic curved lip of the plate rests upon the staveend adjacent thetgroove A few. rapsof a mallet or similar. article serves to wedge: firmlythe overhanging, metallic, an-

gular lip inithe interior, annularagrooveof i the barrel. :After such positioning-of. the headboards,the previously. loosened end 551 hoop or hoops of thebarrel -aredrtiven into place. Thus .a firm, durable and efficient closure of a barrel end is readilyeffected.

*The greater valueof 'th isrnovel structure is .in the ease. and simplicity with which the barrel head is removed without impairment head, the screw: 8, which: functions .tofsecure L the plate to the key-board, isafirst unscrewed I and removedwhen the plate .may beillifted from the key-board; 1 z'lliekey-boa'rda fragile articles, is obviated.

then'be grasped by the fingers and removed without cutting or displacement of the barrel;- hoops. -When;; th is; board is out of the way the other boards may easily be removed.

: It is therefore apparent that the plate and pieces or boards comprising the barrel head are removable without destruct on ormpai rme11tand inay be again employed for the'same function; that the hoops and barrel structure are preserved unharmed for subsequent use and that liability of injury to the contents ofl thejbarrel, as oftenoc curs n .thecase of. pack ng barrels contannng In. Figs. 4 and [5 there has been disclosed a slight modification ofthis novel structure. Therein, the keyboard llis not shortenedjto such a degree as in Figs. 1',l'2 and 3'; and,

further,the shortened end, as shown in'the underside view in. Fig. AL, is .made to curve inan arc conformable to the inner face of the barrel. 1 This constructionisdesirable'in somecases where it is advantageous to obmodified type the cover emplacement and removal are, effected as in the first-'inentioned device. There b employed, iscom- .mon, an annular closure suchasa' hoop'10 which is placed on the outside of the head and which functionsas sealing means, but

. this is optional and is not essential in th casesof barrels headedby this novellmeans.

. viate the spacein the head'jcauseduby the fTQIfG ShOItGIiGCl key-board segment. In this Another modification is shown in'Figs.

6 and-7. Therein, the angular portion 9 is of less width than the major portion of the plate. ,Such platestructure is used in vconjunctionlwith various widths of head boards. Of the forms shown, this, type of plate is that of greatest utility, inview of its adaptability to difl'erentheadsegments employed as, key-boards. In: this preferred type the lip 9 does not extend transversely the whole widthofthe. frontedge of the plate but preferably extends at'least its major portion. .IngFig. 6 sucha form of the inventionis shownas secured to a keyboard great, W d thani he lip 9. The

lip' effects, as in the other types, thawed-g ing function with the barrel groovewhile thevportions 11 of the front ,edge of the plate are transversely curved in anarc, and are of such dimension as forcibly to bear against the barrel inside,adjacent theupper. end of the grooye, fand thus to achieve complete closure of the. barrel' at these points. The lateral portions of this plate extend over the adjacent head-boards 3 overlapping the. s m -I *The; asteni g edia need not b sing screw rais through an ear in the, plate, but, as shown ,in ,Fig.; 6, such,media may consist of one portion.of the plate.

In Figefltherehas .been:dis 1ss d.-a-

of bolt and nut which has proved advantageous in use. In this form the nut 12 is provided with prongs 13 which are embedded in the board used as the key-board. These prongs function to hold the nut securely to the underface of the key-board and to prevent its dropping ofi into the barrel interior when the bolt is removed preparatory to taking off the plate. The bolt is threaded adjacent its lower end and is passed through apertures in the plate and key-board and is received in threaded engagement with the nut 12.

There has thus been provided a simple, eliicient and inexpensive barrel-head fastener which efiects the complete closure of a barrel and securely locks the head in such position. It is easily and quickly removed so that the barrel-head may be expeditiously opened without impairment or injury to the barrel content or to the barrel parts themselves. Itis not even necessary to remove or displace the barrel hoops adjacent the head end. Through the employment of this device the saving in barrel costs is great as they may be re-used repeatedly.

It is to be understood that the construction disclosed herein is illustrated but not restrictive and that the same may be modified within the meaning and scope of the claims which follow.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a barrel having an interior annular groove adjacent the head end; headmembers having portions formed to engage the groove; a key-member having one end formed to engage said groove; a

plate demountably secured to the key-member at its other end; a lip formed on the central major portion of the edge of the plate and engaging the said barrel groove, the remainder of the edge of the plate being formed to rest against the barrel adjacent the groove whereby the plate may be secured to key-members of greater width than the lip and a locked closure is provided for the barrel.

2. The combination of a barrel having an interior annular groove adjacent the head end, head-members having portions formed to engage the groove, a key-member having one end formed to engage the groove, a plate on the other end portion of the keymember, a terminal lip on said plate angularly projecting therefrom and adapted to engage the barrel groove and thereby lock the head and key-member in barrel closing position.

3. The combination of a barrel having an interior annular groove adjacent the head end, head-members having portions shaped to engage the barrel groove, a key-member having one end portion terminating in an edge shaped to engage the groove and the other end terminating in a substantially straight edge, and a locking plate removably secured to the key-member adjacent its straight edged end and projecting downwardly therebeyond to engage the barrel groove, the straight edge of the key member affording a space between the keymember and the barrel interior whereby the key-member may be easily disengaged upon removal of the locking plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

PATRICK J. DINN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

